Barrel-tap.



J. MELISGH.

BARREL TAP.

APPLICATION FILED 1116.7, 11113,

1,096,117. lPanened 111151121914.

67' Y wim/16115621- /v .W n

' rel-Taps, of which the followin UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN MELISCH, 0F '.BENLD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO JOSEPHZBOYOSKI,

0F BENLD, ILLINOIS.

BARREL-TAI.

Speoication of Letters Patent.

Appliltrion Med Aurait 7, 1918. Serial No. 783,546.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, J omi Mnuscn, a subject of the Emperor 'ofAustria-Hungary, residing` at Benld,in the county of Macolipin and Stateof Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Barisa full, clear, and exact description, re erence, be-

Ying had to the accompanying drawings,

forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in barrel taps; and itconsists in the novel details of construction more fully set forth inthe specification and pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation ofa conventionalaerated-beverage dis,- pensing system showing my invention appliedthereto; Fig. 2 is an enlarged middle, vertical section through thecoupling, the valve being turned to closed position; F ig. 3 a. sectionon the order of Fig. Zwith valve turnedto open position, the uppercoupling member being` in elevation; Fig. 4 is an elevational detail ofthe coupled ends of the two sections of the coupling, the valve beingturned to closed position; Fig. 5 is a cross-section onthe line 5-5 ofFig. 2, the section being Vlimited to the cou ling only; Fi T 6 is asection similar to ig. with valve however turned to open position; Fig.

7 is a vertical middle sectional detail of the upper e'nd of the loweror stationary section of the coupling; Fig. S is a cross-section on theline 8 8 of Fig. 4; Fig. 9 is a section similar to Fig. ,8, but showingthe valve turned to open position;.Fig. 10 is a. sectional detail on theline 10-10 of Fig. 2, parts beino broken; and Fig. 11 is an end view ofthe inner terminal socket of the outer fitting or coupling-member.

.In dispensing 'aerated beverages such as beer, ale and the like, it isthe prevailing custom to Adrive the intake or supply pi e for the`liquid through an opening 1n tlie wall (usually the head) of the barrelor cask, eaclrti-me a fresh cask is tapped. This process is usuallyattended with more or less loss of the liquor, the latter escapingthrough the openingfbefore the opening is fully covered or plugged by.the entering pipe. To avoid such losses is the main object of myinvention. For this purpose I provide each cask or barrel with a feed orsupply pipe dipping prfreaehing to the bottom of the vessel, such pipebeing made a permanent equipment of each Cask or barrel, and beingprovided with a service valve the casing of which is'coupled to thelower terminal fitting of the service pipe, which fitting may be readilycoupled to said casing from the outside ofthe Cask, without anyattendant loss of the liquid. The fittin referred to controls andoperates the valgve identified with the feed-pipe, the valve-casing andthe iitting thus forming two sections of a coupling-here termed forconvenience as a valve-coupling-which may be readily assembled oruncoupled, all as will more fully hereinafter appear from a detaileddescription of the invention which is follows:

Referring to the drawings, B represents a barrel containing beer (o rother liquor) provided with a permanently installed feedp'ipe l reachingto the bott-om of the barrel, and preferably stayed by a terminalpointed plug a engaging said bottom. From the barrel leads a iiexible(rubber) service ipe P whose upper end is coupled to the re rigeatorcoil C whose up er end terminates in the usual dispensing aucet F in thebarroom. Vith the exception of the member l,

the parts referred to are well understood in the art and require nodetailed description.

To the upper end of the pipe 1 is screwed a hollow shell or chamberedhead 2 whose upper portion is interiorly screw-threaded (Fig. 3);; saidportion receiving a disk 3 provided with diametrically opposite ports oropenings o. o, said disk serving as a seat for the rotatable disk-valveV likewise provided witlrdiametrically opposite ports o.

o, registrable with the ports o, o, a ported packing' ring or washer u:secured to the valve being interposed between the valve and the seat Theupper face of the valve '.is. provided with a .diamond-shaped (orequivalent-polygonal) head 4 by which the valve may be rotated. The disk3 is preferably secured or coupled bv means of pins p, p, to theadjacent end of the chambered screwplug or valve-casing 5 terminating ina flange or head 5', the said plug or valvecasing (with its head) beingscrewed into the hem of the barrel and diiven ilush with the same (Fig.3). the lower end ofthe plusr withy the disk fl entering the shell Q atthe upper end of the pipe l previolislyinstalled inthe barrel. Aclearance or space z is left below the head 5 around the plug-body 5 asshown to best advantage in Fig. 3. The bottom of the disk-valve V isprovided with a central depending stem or spindle 6 loosely received bythe seat 3, a nut n passed over the lower screw-threaded end of the stemretaining the "alve to its seat. The rotations imparted to the valve Vare limited in either direction by a screw or plug 7 projecting radiallyfrom the periphery of the valve and .operating in and through the pevripheral registering slots s, s', of the plug 5 and shell 2respectively. As shown, the part 2 being of greater diameter than thebunghole, it would be necessary to lirst screw the part 5 into thebarrel head and attach to it the parts 1, 2, and 7, during the processof making the barrel; but in practice the bung hole should be made largeenough to'admit oi' the insertion or removal of the assembled parts atany time.

The member 5, 5'; with the shell 2 coupled thereto (and forming With thepipe 1 a 'permanent installation for each barrel or Cask) may beconsidered asthe lower stationary section or member of the coupling towhich the present invention is directed, said lower member carrying theservice-valve V. yThis valve is actuated by what may be termed as theupper detachable and rotatable section or member of the coupling, saidupper section being provided with means for actuating the valve, andwith means by which a coupling between the two sections may be effected.

The upper section or member of the coupling comprises a tubular fittingorpipe 8 having leading therefrom a branch 8" terminating 1in ascrew-plug 9 to which a. hose 10 leading from any convenient source ofcompressed air supply such as an air pump or itsequivalent (not shown)may be coupled, the inner end of the plug terminating in a rubbercheck-valve m Well understood in the art. To the upper end of thefitting 8 is secured a transversely peripherally ribbed or vgrooved stem11 to which the service hose or pipe P may be attached. inserted in thepipe fitting 8 and preferably shouldered thereto, is an innerpipe-section or sleeve 12 around Whose upper-end is a packing-ring 13,the said sleeve spanning the opening at the inner end of the branch 8,and being provided opposite and facing said opening, with a longitudinalperipheral groove e, said groove thus forming a passage-Way between thesleeve and inner Wall of the `member 8, which passage-Way terminatesatthe bottom in av radial port or passage e' formed in the basal portionof the member, the outer terminal ofl said passage being adapted to bebrought into.f 1,'egister with anoutlet port e inthe wall .ofthe plug 5and normally closed y by a p1ugorwiper 14 at the free end of a flexedarcuate spring or arm 15 having its fixed end secured to the meinbervalong the outer Wall thereof. It may be stated in passing that the outervportion of the port or passage c traverses one of the peripheral lugsor processes 16, 16, formed on the member 8 for a purpose to be noivdescribed.

It will be seen that there are disposed in' the head 5 of the member 5at points diametrically opposite oneanother tivo recesses 17, 17, fromthe bottoms of which there lead in opposite directions along the innerWalls lozt' said head suitable grooves18, 18, each covering an arc ofsomething over ninety 18, this being accomplished by simply giv-v ingthe member 8 sutiicient rotation to cause the lugs to enter saidgrooves. This done,A 'the member 8 becomes coupled to the fixed member5; and it is when the rotation ol the member 8 is eii'ected tobringabout the coupling of the members that the 'port e is broughtopposite the port e in the plug 5. In the rotation oi the member 8 tobring the port e opposite the yport e, vthe rounded side of the lug 16dislodges the head 14e normally closing the port e, thus uncovering.said port and establishing free communication therethrough between theport e and a passage or port' t leading from the annular. space z. Itmay be stated that the purpose of the head 14 carried by theviiexedspring 15 is to keep clean the port e so that there free to pass overthe head 4 of the valve V when the member 8 is first inserted into themember 5, the member 8 being provided with ports or peripheral openingsz' for the How of the liquor into the tube 12 after passing the valve'V. When the member 8 is fully inserted the socket 19 will have beenpassed over the head 4 of the valve, the shoulder 20 with its packingring 21 at the base of the reduced terminal in which the socket 19 isformed, resting on the annular ledge 22 of the plug 5 (Fig. 3).Thebottom of the pipe luis provided with peripheral intake openings lThe operation of the device is substantially as follows z-It has already'been stated that the member 5 (5) with its shell Zand intake orrsupplypipe r1 is a permanent installation for the barrel E. 1When afresh barrel is to be tapped, the bar attendantjorrf'helper seizes thefitting and.

inserts the lugs or formations 16, 16, thereof through the recesses 17,17, (Figs. 2, 10) until the lugs come opposite the grooves 1S, 1S. Inthis insertion .the socket. 19 passes over the head 4 of the valve V,and the operator by then giving the fitting Sa turn (clockwise, F ig.10) will cause the lugs lf3 to traverse the grooves 18, 18, and sincethese `grooves incline slightl;7 from the bases ot' the recesses 17(Fig. 7), the lugs Will be tightly wedged therein by reason ot thecompression of the elastic Washer 21 (the compression resulting from thelugs following the inclined grooves '1S and hence squeezing the Washeragainst the ledge 22), The turning of the fitting 8 is permitted evenwith the hose P and 10 attached thereto bct .use the hose are fiexibleand the slight turn imparted to the member 8 does not exert an excessivestrain on tbe hose. I'Vit-h the turning ot' the nieniber S as indicated.the lugs 1G, 1G, pass from the position shoivn in Fig. 5 to that shownin Fig. 6, that is to say, the lug on the right dislodges or lifts tht`head 11i carried by the spring 15, uncovering the opening' 0": but sincein this rotation of the member S the port c (forniiiig a continuationot' the passage c) is brought into register with the port c, it tolloivsthat the compressed air (or other gas) is free to flow from the hose 10,through the passage e (Fig. 3) thence through ports c', e", into port t,and into the barrel on top of the beer. lAt the saine time (with4 theturning of the member 8) the head l of the valve V will have been turned(Figs. (i. 9) to rotate the valve to bring the port-s o', o. thereofinto register with the ports 0. n. of the valve-seat 3, allowing theliquid or beer (subjected to the pressure of the air in the barrel) tobe expelled from the barrel through the openings f, pipe 1, shell 2,ports o. o. ports z', tube 12, fitting S. hose or pipe P. coil C, to theJfaucet F. By opening the faucet F. the beer may be served. Should it bedesired at any' time to close the valve V.' thev attendant simply turnsthe fitting 8 back to' a position to .bring the lugs 1G opposite therecesses 17,

this having the effect of turning the ports 0 out of register with theports 0. wher(`- upon not onli7 will the beer be cut ottl from escapetioni the barrel. but the driving gas or compressed air will be cut oft,the port c being brought out of register with the i In a fresh barret.the

port e" (Fig. 5). valve V ot-:upies the position shown in Figs. 2. 5. S;in a barrel in service the valve V occupies the position shox'n in Figs.3. 9.

In other Words. the valve is not open until the contention between the.two sections ot i No loss of liquor or beverage can follow l from theuse of the present invention.

Having described invention, what I `claim isz- A In coinbinationivith avessel containingliquid, a pipe dipping beneath the surface of theliquid in the vessel and having openings .to receive the liquid, aterminal tubular valve casing at the upper end of the pipe accessiblefrom they outside of the vessel` the casing being provided with recessesalong the bore ofthe casing. grooves leading from the recesses inopposite directions, a tubular rotatable fitting having lugs insertibleinto the recesses and adapted to traverse the grooves` a rotatableported valve in the casing, a polygonal central head en the valve. asocket ou the fitting adapted to engage the head with an insertion ofthc lugs into the recesses aforesaid. the fitti being provided with aliquid passage-Wav leading from the socitct aforesaid, saidpassage-Wai.7 communicating with the chamber of the valve-casing at apoint above the socket and open at the opposite end for discharging theliquid. a gas passageway contiguous to the liquid passage, a source ofcompressed air supply communicating t with said gas-passageway, thelatter discharging through one ol." the lugs aforesaid, a port in theWall of the valve casing adapted to be brought into register ivith thepassage-Way in the lug with a rotation of' the fitting, aspring-controlled plug norinallj.r closing said port and adapted to bedislodged bv the ported lug. a port in the vessel Wall leading from theport controlled by said plug and leadingl to the space in the vesselabove the liquid, communication bet-Ween the liquid in the vessel andthe liquid-dischargeend of the fitting, and between the compressed airsupplv source and the interior ot the vessel being established with arotation of the fitting and valve through an are suflicient to uncoverthe valve-ports.

In tesiinion)T whereof I affix in v signature. in presence of tivowitnesses.

JOHN MELISCH.

lVitnesses t limit, S'raunii, dos. A. MICHEL.

Gopies of this patent may ce obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe f Commissioner of Ratents, Washington. Tl. C."

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